Euro 2016: Why are England carrying a cuddly toy lion around in France?

Chris Smalling is currently taking care of 'Leo' but the responsibility will be handed to different players throughout Euro 2016

One of the England team's three cuddly toy lions (Getty)

Even with transfer sagas, injury troubles and selection issues all up in the air, it’s an unofficial member of the England squad who’s attracting much of the attention in Chantilly.

A cuddly toy lion, supposedly called ‘Leo’, has travelled with Roy Hodgson’s 23-man team and, according to the Daily Mirror, each player will have to take turns looking after the mascot over the course of this summer’s European Championships.

A committee of senior players, led by captain Wayne Rooney, nominate who will look after ‘Leo’ and 'severe' punishments could be handed out if the toy comes to any harm.

'Leo' is currently in the care of Chris Smalling, who was pictured carrying it onto the plane and into the team hotel on Monday.

Other members of the squad have already made attempts to kidnap the toy and get the Manchester United defender into trouble.

Daniel Sturridge, the Liverpool striker, kept schtum when questioned on the subject by reporters, saying: “I can’t speak about it. I don’t want to give too much away.”

Kyle Walker, however, was a little more loose-lipped: “It’s a mascot that we decided as players we want to bring to France,” the Tottenham Hotspur full-back said.

“The players nominate who will carry it. It’s up to the senior members of the squad.

“I think they were trying to call him Leo, but you will have to ask Wazza [Rooney]," he added, when asked about the toy's name.

Smalling carries 'Leo' into the England team's hotel in Chantilly (Getty)

‘Leo’ is joined by two other lions - ‘Kit Kat’, the staff’s mascot, and ‘Lenny’, who will travel with the team on match days.

The toys have brought along with the intention of nurturing a team bond in the camp. England’s squad is the tournament’s youngest and a number of the players have only made their international debuts in the last few years.

Dele Alli, Nathaniel Clyne, Eric Dier, Tom Heaton, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Danny Rose and Jamie Vardy were all uncapped at the time of the 2014 World Cup.

John Stones and Kyle Walker, meanwhile, have not previously travelled with the national team for a major international tournament.

England squads of the past tried similar tricks to alleviate the boredom of a training camp. During the 1998 World Cup in France, Glenn Hoddle's men challenged each other to mention as many song titles as possible in television interviews.